Tumultuous meeting shakes up Bunnell city officials

Tuesday

Apr 23, 2013 at 6:10 PMApr 23, 2013 at 8:47 PM

A tumultuous Bunnell City Commission meeting Monday night included a move to fire City Manager Armando Martinez, accusations of an affair between the police chief and finance director, and the abrupt resignation of the city clerk.

AARON LONDONSTAFF WRITER

BUNNELL — An alleged affair between department heads, a public resignation and a move to fire the city's top administrator might sound like a soap opera, but it is real life in the Flagler County seat. A tumultuous City Commission meeting Monday night included a move to fire City Manager Armando Martinez, accusations of an affair between the police chief and finance director, and the abrupt resignation of the city clerk. The threads of the tale got tangled during the meeting. After a heated debate regarding whether Martinez should be fired ended with the city manager narrowly keeping his job, City Clerk Dan Davis surprised everyone by saying “I can't work for this man,” referring to Martinez, and submitting his resignation. Davis said he brought it to Martinez's attention that Police Chief Jeff Hoffman and City Finance Director Cissy Bertha have been having an extramarital affair and he was concerned that Martinez said it was a personal matter and outside the scope of his office. In an email sent to the media from his city account late Monday night after the meeting, Davis wrote: “Now think about this, your Chief of Police, who is responsible for the safety of our city and the Finance Director, who by the way, is in charge of millions of the cities (sic) dollars, have lied to and cheated on their spouses for 8 months, yet the City Manager ‘trusts' them in their jobs. No discipline, no demotion, no nothing. He also briefed the city commissioners on this saying he couldn't do anything about it. Folks, the truth is, he chooses not to do anything about it.” During the meeting, Martinez said he had accepted Davis' resignation and added that he discussed the alleged affair between department heads with the city attorney and it was determined to be a personal issue. In an interview Tuesday, Martinez reiterated that the issue is a personal matter between Bertha and Hoffman and declined further comment. He would not say if such an affair would violate city policy. Contacted Tuesday, Hoffman declined to comment for the record. Bertha did not return a telephone call seeking comment. The drama for Martinez began earlier during Monday night's meeting when a motion by Vice Mayor John Rogers to fire the city manager triggered a long debate with some heated discussions. Citing Martinez's recent application to become city manager in Satellite Beach, Rogers moved for a vote of no confidence in the city's top administrator. “I think it's time for us to go in a different direction,” Rogers said during the meeting. But Mayor Catherine Robinson defended Martinez, saying Bunnell is “very fortunate and blessed” that Satellite Beach officials did not hire him. “The man has done what we asked him to do and he has done it admirably,” Robinson said. At that point, City Attorney Sid Nowell asked commissioners if they knew “exactly what a vote of no confidence means.” Nowell said it is unclear what a no-confidence vote would mean for Martinez's status. “I do not think it is an actionable item for termination,” he said. “If that was the goal, you would have to use clearer language.” After that exchange, Rogers withdrew his motion and came up with another one. “I would like to move that Mr. Martinez is actively searching for a job, we accommodate that and let him go,” Rogers said. Robinson asked if Rogers meant that he wanted to fire Martinez. “It's amazing to me that his job performance and what he's done here and you still want to terminate him,” she said. During public comments, the city manager received support from several residents. “I think if the board lets Mr. Martinez go, you're making a real bad mistake,” said resident Charles Gardner. Former City Commissioner Daisy Henry was even stronger in her condemnation of Rogers' motion. “We have commended Mr. Martinez for the work that he's done for the city and now you turn around and stab him in the back,” she said. “I'm hearing this tonight and I just don't understand how can you live with yourself.” After the motion was defeated by a 3-2 vote, with Robinson and Commissioners Jenny Crain-Brady and Bill Baxley dissenting, loud applause filled the commission chambers in the Government Services Building. On the matter of Davis' resignation, Martinez said it is effective May 6. “I have put him on paid administrative leave until May 6 and asked him not to report to city offices,” Martinez said Tuesday. He said he told city staff members Tuesday morning it was important to move on following Monday night's events. “I told my staff it's a new day,” he said. “We have to move forward and not look at the past. We owe it to (the citizens) to do our best and continue to move our city forward.”

I resigned as City Clerk of the City of Bunnell tonight, because I can no longer work for a man like our City Manager Armando Martinez. The citizens of Bunnell need to know that Armando was approached a couple weeks ago by our Police Chief Jeff Hoffman who admitted to having a marital affair with the Finance Director Cissy Bertha since last August. Hoffman stated they were leaving their families and were serious. Armando's response is that it's a personal private matter and theirs nothing he can do about it. Now think about this, your Chief of Police, who is responsible for hte safety of our city and the Finance Director, who by the way, is in charge of millions of the cities dollars have lied to and cheated on their spouses for 8 months, yet the City Manager "trusts" them in their jobs. No discipline, no demotion, no nothing. He also briefed the city commissioners on this saying he couldn't do anything about it. Folks, the truth is, he chooses not to do anything about it. Make up your own minds. Do you think it's okay for two people in leadership and decision making postions such as chief of police and finance director should be able to keep their jobs? Each employee is held to the employee code of conduct which states that any behavior, on or off duty that brings discredit or embarrasemnt to the City is in violation of the Code of Conduct. I ask you, if lying, cheating, and being dishonest isn't a violation of the code, than what is? Integrity is required to handle the citie's finances and to lead police officers. You can't have personal integrity and professional integrity. You either have integrity or you don't. Yet, our city manager says "it's a private matter." Is that who you want as a city manager? Someone who doesn't think their is anything wrong with two department heads having an affair. I would think the bunnell tax payers would expect better from their city manager, and from their city commission.